Shadowstorm's Capture
Shadowstorm and her three-year older brother Thorntail, lie asleep near their parent's hollow. Their parents, Bluefang and Steelskull are also asleep, though they do not know that their daughter is about to be kidnapped: Soulkeeper's two sons, Gryfon and Snipe were sneaking into the Nachenyu tree camp. They recieved specific instructions by Soulkeeper to kidnap Shadowstorm so their father may kill her himself. Soulkeeper wanted revenge on Steelskull for banishing him and his sons to the Ghostlands, where there is little prey, little water, and very little vegetation. Snipe kept watch outside of the hollow where the two children slept, while Gryfon went to steal Shadowstorm. But Thorntail had heard Gryfon and began to squeal and shout, waking their parents. To silence the boy, Gryfon lifted him and tossed him to Snipe, who dangled him three hundred feet above the ground. When he dropped Thorntail, Bluefang swooped down and caught him. But Gryfon had already stolen Shadowstorm and was flying off with her, Snipe following him. They were already too far, and therefore impossible to catch. A grief-stricken Bluefang did not care: she darted after them, but Steelskull stopped her and drew her into his arms. She began to cry and Thorntail cuddled beside her. "We'll get her back Bluefang, I promise." Steelskull assured her. The next day Steelskull and Bluefang led two separate search parties. Bluefang was to search in the Ghostlands and around that territory, and Steelskull was to search everywhere else since he led the bigger party. While Bluefang was looking near the Ghostlands, her party split up into twenty groups of four, and Bluefang was searching by herself. She heard talking nearby, she peeked through the bushes and saw that Shadowstorm's kidnappers had camped here. And where getting ready to execute her before Bluefang or Steelskull arrived. Soulkeeper went to get his Sword, and it was merely two of his guards around. Bluefang snuck around back and shot the two guards with her crossbow. She took Shadowstorm and began to run back the way she came, but Soulkeeper had foreseen this. He set up guards and traps all over the territory. Bluefang was cornered and set the whole area on fire, she flew upwards to escape from the fire. Shadowstorm was clinging to her mother's back as she flew, but the winds had blown her in the direction of the contintent Argona. However, she would be safe there. But she was unaware that Soulkeeper had been following them. His two sons ambushed Bluefang and blasted a fireball at her left wing. When she was hit, her wing was sprained and she fell down to the forest. The forest she landed in wasn't just any normal forest, it was the famed Dryga forest. Infested with dangerous animals and poisonous plants everywhere. Soulkeeper still pursued her through the forest to get Shadowstorm and get revenge for Leona, his mate whom was murdered by Bluefang. Just then, Gryfon walked right in front of where Shadowstorm was hiding. He turned and saw the small black and purple child in the hollow. He was behind the rest of his group and then looked around for anyone who might be looking. He turns back to the frightened child and says, "You're on your own now, kid." Gryfon then turns away and then catches up with the rest of his hunting party, leaving Shadowstorm behind. After a few hours of waiting alone, Shadowstorm was discovered by a group of rebellious Argonauts who brought her back to their headquarters. There, they taught her to hunt, fight and survive. When she reached the appropriate age, she fought with the rebels against Krutel, whom took over the Argonaut Kingdom with her changeling army. She aided their attack and that gave them the advantage. After the fight was won, she overheard a cadet named Firebeak who admitted he used Shadowstorm to overpower Krutel and because her rein ended, he was going to get rid of her. She began to avoid her Argonaut friends for a few days, and her best friend Rock Talons was the only one she trusted. So Shadowstorm told Rock Talons everything she saw and heard. Rock Talons helped Shadowstorm escape and devised a plan that would stop Firebeak from killing her: Rock Talons was to lead Shadowstorm away, while Dragon Rage, another one of Shadowstorm's friends, posed as Shadowstorm. Firebeak took the bait and soon caught up to Dragon Rage. When he realised that he was tricked, he kills Dragon Rage and tries to pick up Shadowstorm's trail once again, but can't. Rock Talons then sets up a series of explosions where Firebeak stood. Firebeak is killed, along with most of his followers. Rock Talons and Shadowstorm made their way to Dryga forest to hide. They ended up hiding and resting in a cave behind a waterfall. When the moon rose again, they were under attack by Firebeak's remaining warriors. Rock Talons and Shadowstorm tried to fight them, but they were outnumbered. Rock Talons told Shadowstorm to escape into the mountains. "What about you?" Shadowstorm protested. "It'll be fine, just go." Rock Talons persisted. "But-" "Go!" Shadowstorm hurried into the mountain and heard a violent, terrified scream. She paused for a moment, then quietly headed back to Rock Talons' position. She peeked through the bushes and didn't smell any Argonauts around. But to her horror, there lied her friend's headless body lying in a puddle of blood. She lied down beside Rock Talons and cried herself to sleep. When the moon rose again Shadowstorm ran deeper and deeper into the Dryga forest. She was lost in those woods, but at least her pursuers would be too. Shadowstorm lived on within the most dangerous place known to all Nyovans. Heartbroken and grieved, she hunted down and killed the rest of Firebeak's followers as a sign of revenge. She took their weapons and used them to survive in Dryga forest. Through the years, she began to have strange visions of previous wars and battles fought by three powerful warriors. Occasionally she would have visions of her traveling and befriending two Drakoan siblings, a Twylit Hunter and a Tidal class Solas with green and blue scales and red eyes. But she ignored them for she thought they were mere dreams.... Category:Stories Category:Short Stories